The PRIME (Powerline Related Intelligent Metering Evolution) standard defines lower layers of a PLC narrowband data transmission system for the electric power grid using Orthogonal Frequency-Division Multiplexing (OFDM) in the 42-90 kHz band.
The International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) 61334-5-1 standard defines low-speed power line communications in the 60-76 kHz band. IEC 61334-5-1 is also known as S-FSK (Spread Frequency Shift Keying) and was formerly known as IEC 1334. For simplification of the following discussion, the S-FSK/IEC 61334-5-1 Standard is referred to as “S-FSK” in this document.
G3 is an OFDM-based powerline communications standard promoting interoperability in smart grid implementations in the 35-90 kHz band.
The OpenMeter forum, in its Working Package 2, has reviewed existing PLC technologies and identified research areas and gaps in the current state of knowledge. A coexistence gap exists between PRIME and S-FSK that makes interoperability between PRIME and S-FSK challenging.
Powerline communication systems based on narrowband OFDM (NB-OFDM) are gaining popularity in smart grid technologies. European utilities, notably Iberdrola (PRIME) and ERDF (G3) are pioneering the deployment of NB-OFDM PLC systems for advanced metering. The SAE and the ISO have shortlisted NB-OFDM systems that are based on PRIME and G3 for car charger applications. Spurred by these and other possible applications, at least two major standards development organizations—the IEEE and the ITU—are now specifying communication systems based on NB-OFDM.